I know these pics aren’t stellar. But let me tell you. Since I made these bars back in…October…I have had numerous and unceasing requests for the recipe.

Dudes are all like, “When is this going up on the blog?”

And I’m all like, “Don’t rush me!”

But I had to leak the recipe because they are just that good.

First off, the peanut butter oat cookie bar. So soft, but not like soft-batch style cookies. I actually can’t wait to try these as a regular cookie. I hesitate to say cakelike. They were kind of like a blondie, but a little lighter, I thought. And they sliced like a dream in all their underbaked glory.

The cookie layer was followed by not one, but two layers of frosting. The first was a peanut butter frosting swirled with marshmallow creme. And the second is just straight up marshmallow creme because I had some leftover and can’t be trusted with an open container of marshmallow creme in the house. Girl actually cannot get enough.

Just please make these immeds. I will too. We can do this together. Like a team-building activity.

Heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter on high speed until light and creamy, about 30 seconds, then add in peanut butter and mix on high until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add the sugars, then mix on medium speed until everything is well combined, lighter in color, and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well-incorporated.

Line a 9×9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Press the dough into the pan evenly. Bake for 9-13 minutes, until the bars look set. Do not overbake. Let cool.

For the frosting layers:

Spread cooled bars with peanut butter frosting like this (harder) or this (easier), then about 7 ounces (1 jar) of marshmallow fluff. I cut a bit of marshmallow cream into my peanut butter frosting because I am obsessed with marshmallow. You can adjust both of these layers to taste.

I had a friend once who was like, “Yeah, I like good espresso, but I like instant coffee just as much. It’s a totally different experience; they are like two different foods.”

I have since taken this philosophy and run with it, which is how I can justify liking Kraft mac and cheese just as much as homemade. This is also how I can love all types of pizza ever. Do I prefer deep dish to thin crust? No! Because it is a totally different experience. Each has its own set of pros and cons and intricate crevices of cheese-filled sensory experience.

The above picture actually slays me. LOOK.

I know the chill time on the dough is nearly intolerable (24-48 hours means an extended dose of delayed gratification, rarely an option when you are craving chocolate chip cookies). Also, the ingredient list for these babies is somewhat obscure (who uses bread flour on the reg?), but it makes for a cookie that is somewhat obscure. By which I mean that it is so far from your standard Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie, that it is like eating different foods. You can’t even compare them.

So far from your standard Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie that it is like eating different foods, I say.

Five inches in diameter, with a gooey middle and shattering rim, these cookies are easily the most professional cookies I have ever baked. They are straight out of a bakery, secret-recipe style. I didn’t change one thing about them. Having waited this long and listening to other bloggers wax on for literal years, I wasn’t going to mess about making them imperfect.

I gifted them away as soon as possible to the neighbs and also my dear friends. It was better that way.

Sometimes, you just want a PB&J. I had a revolution in my thinking the other day. I was trying to decide what to bring to work for lunch. Feeling really bored with everything ever. And then it hit me like a diamond bullet: why not make a PB&J, Lauren? Ye olde classic childhood lunchbox fare. Protein-rich, a snap to prepare, and by gum, if it doesn’t satisfy those midday peanut butter cravings like a boss.

Basically, I have never looked forward to lunch so much.

I made these cupcakes on the same day I made the mini hi hats and the cheesecake cupcakes. I actually had bigger plans for them. I was going to do a cannoli cupcake, but when I botched up the rest of my ricotta, I had nothing to do with these vanilla cupcakes, so I decided to fill them with marshmallow cream and slather on a bit of PB&J because two fail recipes later, I wasn’t going to be bothered making another frosting and piping these.

The cupcake recipe itself is also interesting, as it doesn’t use butter. I had none in the house, so I was searching for an oil-based recipe. The key is to use a really good vanilla extract, so they don’t taste like imitation vanilla blandness. Vanilla beans might be excellent in these.

I should have known they would be such a hit at work given the timeless quality of the sandwich from whence they came. My co-workers voted them a fave. Easy A.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat for 10 seconds. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and oil, beat. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined. Scrap down the side of the bowl.

Pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling the liners about 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes. Cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Once cool, cut a cone out of each cupcake and fill with marshmallow creme, replacing the tops that you haven’t eaten. Frost with a bit of peanut butter and jelly as desired.

I could go on and on about how flavorful, rich and savory this birthday tart was (for my dear mum, as it were), but before I do so, I would like to issue a warning.

This tart includes three whole heads of garlic. 40 CLOVES. You may have seen other recipes including this level of flavor, like this Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic or this Garlic Soup. Having made a few of these before, I wasn’t worried about 40 cloves. Small stuff, really.

But let me tell you. I have never experienced the direct consequences of this level of garlic in my life before. I was waking up in night sweats reeking of garlic. It meant spending the next day nearly doubled up in my desk chair with insides squeaking and popping, threatening to unleash their tumultuous wrath. It was coming home after work, walking in my room and still smelling the effects.

But also let me tell you, this far after the incident, I am not experiencing any kind of regret. It was one of the most delicious things I have ever made, and I count it among my Top 10 Best Reasons To Be Single.

That’s right,

L

Caramelized Garlic and Goat Cheese Tart

You can find the recipe on marthastewart.com. I used dried rosemary and thyme instead of fresh, sour cream instead of creme fraiche and used Manchego, a hard sheep cheese, in place of the hard goat cheese.